CITY  OF  KEENE 


RULES  FOR  DRIVING 


AND 


TRAFFIC  REGULATIONS 

AND  EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 

New  Hampshire  Automobile  Laws 


19  14 


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AN  ORDINANCE  ENACTING 

RULES  FOR  DRIVING 

AND 

TRAFFIC  REGULATIONS 


Be  it  ordained  by  the  City  Councils  of 

the  City  of  Keene,  as  follows: 

ARTICLE  I. 

VEHICLES  IN  MOTION. 

Section  1.  A  vehicle,  except  when 
passing  a  vehicle  ahead,  shall  keep  to 
the  right  and  as  near  the  right  curb  as 
practicable. 

Sect.  2.  Vehicles  moving  slowly 
shall  keep  as  close  as  is  practicable  to 
the  right-hand  curb,  so  as  to  allow 
faster  moving  vehicles  free  passage 
on  the  left. 

Sect.  3.  A  vehicle  meeting  another 
shall  pass  on  the  right. 

Sect.  4.  A  vehicle  overtaking  an¬ 
other  vehicle  shall,  in  passing,  keep 


to  the  left  of  the  overtaken  vehicle, 
and  shall  not  pull  over  to  the  right 
until  entirely  clear  of  it,  and  so  far 
ahead  of  it  as  not  to  interfere  with  its 
progress. 

Sect.  5-  A  vehicle  turning  to  the 
right  into  another  street  shall  turn  the 
corner  as  near  the  right-hand  curb  as 
is  practicable. 

Thus 


Sect.  6.  A  vehicle  turning  to  the 
left  into  another  street  shall  pass  to 
the  right  of  and  beyond  the  center  of 
the  street  intersection  before  turning. 

Right 


*  T  V 


Sect.  7.  No  person  having  charge 
of  a  vehicle  shall  allow  the  same  to 
come  within  ten  feet  of  any  vehicle 
in  front  of  him  when  approaching  and 
passing  over  a  crossing  where  a  pedes¬ 
trian  is  about  to  pass. 

ARTICLE  II. 

SIGNALS. 

Section  1.  Every  driver  of  a  ve¬ 
hicle  shall,  in  slowing  up  or  stopping, 
give  a  signal  to  those  behind  by  rais¬ 
ing  a  whip  or  hand  vertically. 

Sect.  2.  In  turning  while  in  motion, 
or  in  starting  to  turn  from  a  standstill, 
or  in  crossing  from  one  side  of  the 
street  to  the  other,  a  signal  shall  be 
given  by  the  driver  of  the  vehicle 
about  to  be  turned  by  raising  a  wlyp 
or  hand,  indicating  the  direction  in 
which  the  turn  is  to  be  made. 

Sect.  3.  Before  backing,  ample 
warning  shall  be  given  by  voice  or 
uplifted  handr  and  while  backing  un¬ 
ceasing  vigilance  must  be  exercised  by 
the  driver  not  to  injure  those  behind. 

.  Sect.  4.  Drivers  of  motor  vehicles 


of  all  kinds  shall,  in  approaching  a 
crossing  or  in  rounding  a  corner  or 
curve  or  a  public  street,  sound  their 
signals  in  such  a  way  as  to  give  warn¬ 
ing  to  other  vehicles  and  to  pedestri¬ 
ans  of  their  approach. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Section  1.  No  vehicle  shall  stop  in 
such  a  way  as  to  obstruct  any  street 
or  crossing  for  the  purpose  of  taking 
on  or  setting  down  a  passenger  or 
for  loading  or  unloading  freight,  or 
for  any  other  purpose,  except  in  case 
of  accident,  or  when  directed  to  do  so 
by  a  police  officer. 

Sect.  2.  No  vehicle  shall  stop  or 
stand  within  the  intersection  of  any 
st»eet,  nor  within  ten  feet  of  a  street 
corner. 

Sect.  3.  No  person  having  charge 
of  a  vehicle  in  a  public  street  shall 
refuse  or  neglect  to  stop  the  same  or 
place  the  same  as  directed  by  a  police 
officer,  any  of  these  rules  to  the  con¬ 
trary  notwithstanding. 

Sect.  4.  No  person  shall  hitch  any 


6 


horse  to  any  tree  or  shrub,  or  to  any 
fire-alarm,  police  signal  post  or  hy¬ 
drant. 

Sect.  5.  Any  police  officer  in  uni¬ 
form  in  his  discretion  may  remove  any 
horse  or  horses,  vehicle  or  vehicles 
left  upon  any  street  not  in  the  appar¬ 
ent  charge  of  any  driver  or  other  per¬ 
son,  or  in  violation  of  any  of  these 
regulations,  to  another  place  on  such 
street,  or  from  such  street  to  some 
other  street,  or  to  the  city  yard,  a 
public  stable  or  garage,  and  leave  the 
same. 


ARTICLE  IV. 

RECEIVING  AND  DELIVERING  PAS¬ 
SENGERS  AND  MERCHANDISE. 

Section  1.  No  vehicle  shall  stand 
in  any  one  place  in  any  public  street 
for  more  than  ten  (10)  minutes  at 
any  one  time,  for  the  purpose  of  sell¬ 
ing  goods,  wares  or  merchandise,  for 
soliciting  passengers,  teaming  or 
trucking.  Vehicles  may  head  or  back 
up  around  the  common  in  Central 
square,  but  shall  not  stand  in  front  of 


7 


soldiers’  monument  or  cross  walks  nor 
in  direct  line  with  West  or  Roxbury 
streets. 


ARTICLE  V. 

NOISE  AND  SMOKE  NUISANCE. 

Section  1.  A  signal  is  meant  to 
warn,  and  it  must  have  that  power  in 
every  way,  but  no  driver  shall  make 
a  nuisance  of  it  by  sounding  it  un¬ 
necessarily.  No  driver  shall  use  the 
muffler  cut-out  except  in  steep  hill¬ 
climbing.  Continuous  smoke  from 
motor  vehicles  is  unnecessary  and  is 
hereby  deemed  a  nuisance. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

DEFINITIONS. 

Section  1.  The  word  “vehicle”  in¬ 
cludes  equestrians,  horses  hitched  to 
vehicles,  led  horses,  motor  vehicles  of 
all  kinds,  and  everything  on  runners 
and  wheels,  except  street  cars,  baby 
carriages  and  invalid  chairs. 

Sect.  2.  The  word  “horse”  includes 
all  domestic  animals. 

8 


Sect.  3.  The  word  “driver”  includes 
the  rider  of  a  horse,  bicycle  or  tricycle, 
the  driver  of  a  horse  or  horses  and  the 
operator  of  a  motor  vehicle. 

Sect.  4.  The  word  “curb”  shall 
mean  the  lateral  boundaries  of  that 
portion  of  a  street  designated  for  the 
use  of  vehicles,  whether  marked  by 
curbstones  or  not  so  marked. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

PENALTIES. 

Section  1.  Whoever  violates  any  of 
the  provisions  of  the  foregoing  rules 
and  regulations,  shall  be  liable  to  a 
penalty  of  not  less  than  one  dollar 
nor  more  than  ten  dollars  for  each 
offence. 

This  ordinance  shall  take  effect  on 
publication  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  Chapter  133  of  the  Ses¬ 
sion  Laws  of  1911. 


9 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE  NEW  HAMP¬ 
SHIRE  AUTOMOBILE  LAW. 


Laws  1911,  Chapter  133,  as  amended 
by  the  Laws  of  1913. 

Sect.  7.  Every  motor  vehicle,  oper¬ 
ated  or  driven  upon  the  ways  of  this 
state,  shall  be  provided  with  adequate 
brakes  in  good  working  order  and 
sufficient  to  control  such  vehicle  at 
all  times  when  the  said  vehicle  is  in 
use,  a  muffler,  a  suitable  and  adequate 
bell,  horn  or  other  device  for  signaling, 
and  suitable  lamps.  Every  automobile 
operated  during  the  period  from  one 
half  hour  after  sunset  to  one  half  hour 
before  sunrise,  shall  display  at  least 
two  lighted  lamps  on  the  front  and 
one  on  the  rear  of  such  vehicle,  which 
shall  also  display  a  red  light  visible 
from  the  rear.  The  rays  of  such  rear 
lamp  shall  shine  upon  the  number 


10 


plate  carried  on  the  rear  of  such  ve¬ 
hicle  in  such  manner  as  to  render  the 
numerals  thereon  visible  for  at  least 
fifty  feet  in  the  direction  from  which 
the  motor  vehicle  is  proceeding.  The 
light  on  the  front  lamps  shall  be  visi¬ 
ble  at  least  two  hundred  feet  in  the 
direction  in  which  the  motor  vehicle 
is  proceeding. 

Sect.  12.  Every  person  having  con¬ 
trol  or  charge  of  an  auotomobile  or 
motor  cycle,  shall,  whenever  upon  any 
public  street  or  way  and  approaching 
any  vehicle  drawn  by  a  horse  or  horses 
or  approaching  any  horse  upon  which 
any  person  is  riding,  operate,  manage, 
and  control  such  automobile  or  motor 
cycle  in  such  a  manner  as  to  exercise 
every  reasonable  precaution  to  prevent 
the  frightening  of  such  horse  or  horses 
and  to  insure  the  safety  and  protection 
of  any  person  riding  or  driving  the 
same.  And,  if  such  horse  or  horses 
appear  to  be  frightened,  the  person 
in  control  of  such  automobile  or  motor 
cycle  shall  reduce  its  speed,  and  if 
requested  by  the  raising  of  a  hand  by 


ll 


the  rider  or  driver  of  such  horse  or 
horses,  shall  not  proceed  further 
toward  such  animal,  and,  in  cases  of 
extreme  fright,  shall  upon  request  re¬ 
duce  the  motive  power  to  a  full  stop. 
Upon  approaching  any  intersecting 
way  or  curve.. or  corner  in  a  way  every 
person  operating  a  motor  vehicle  shall 
slow  down  and  give  timely  signal  with 
his  bell,  horn,  or  other  device  for  sig¬ 
naling;  provided,  that  in  the  thickly 
settled  parts  of  a  city  or  town  no  bell, 
horn  or  other  device  for  signaling  shall 
be  sounded  so  as  to  make  an  unreason¬ 
able  noise,  except  in  the  case  of  fire 
and  police  department  vehicles;  and 
provided  further,  that  no  operator  or 
chauffeur  of  any  motor  vehicle  shall 
on  any  way  permit  any  unreasonable 
amount  of  smoke  to  escape  from  said 
motor  vehicle,  nor  shall  any  operator 
or  chauffeur  on  any  way  permit  said 
motor  vehicle  to  make  any  unneces¬ 
sary  noise,  by  cutting  out  the  muffler 
or  otherwise.  The  driver  of  any  motor 
vehicle  on  any  highway,  approaching 
a  crossing  of  ways,  shall  slow  down 


and  keep  to  the  right  of  the  intersec¬ 
tion  of  the  centers  of  both  ways  when 
turning  either  to  the  right  or  to  the 
left. 

Sect.  13.  Every  person  operating  a 
motor  vehicle  on  any  way  shall  run  it 
at  a  rate  of  speed  at  no  time  greater 
than  is  reasonable  and  proper  under 
all  the  circumstances,  having  regard 
to  traffic  and  the  use  of  the  way  and 
the  safety  of  the  public. 

Sect.  14-  If  any  person  shall  operate 
a  motor  vehicle  on  any  way  at  a  rate 
of  speed  greater  than  is  reasonable 
and  proper,  having  regard  to  traffic 
and  the  use  of  the  way,  and  the  safety 
of  the  public,  he  shall  be  punished  as 
provided  in  section  16  of  this  act,  and 
it  shall  be  conclusive  evidence  of  a 
rate  of  speed  greater  than  is  reason¬ 
able  and  proper  as  aforesaid  if  a  motor 
vehicle  is  operated  on  any  way  outside 
of  a  thickly  settled  or  business  part 
of  city  or  town  at  a  rate  exceeding 
twenty-five  miles  per  hour  for  a  dis¬ 
tance  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile.  It  shall 


13 


be  conclusive  evidence  of  a  rate  of 
speed  greater  than  is  reasonable  and 
proper  as  aforesaid  if  a  motor  vehicle 
is  operated  on  any  way  inside  the 
thickly  settled  or  business  part  of  a 
city  or  town  at  a  rate  of  speed  ex¬ 
ceeding  fifteen  miles  per  hour  for  the 
distance  of  one  eighth  of  a  mile,  or  if 
a  motor  vehicle  is  operated  on  any 
way  upon  approaching  an  intersecting 
way,  or  in  traversing  a  crossing  or 
intersection  of  ways  or  in  going  around 
a  corner  or  a  curve  in  a  street  or  way 
where  the  operator’s  or  chauffeur’s 
view  of  the  road  traffic  is  obstructed, 
at  a  rate  of  speed  exceeding  10  miles 
per  hour;  provided,  however,  that  in 
civil  actions  this  evidence  shall  be 
prima  facie  only. 

Sect.  19.  Whoever  upon  any  way 
operates  an  automobile  or  motor  cycle 
recklessly  or  while  under  the  influence 
of  intoxicating  liquor,  or  so  that  the 
lives  and  safety  of  the  public  might 
be  endangered,  or  upon  a  bet,  wager 
or  race,  or  who  operates  a  motor  ve¬ 
hicle  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  rec- 


14 


ord,  and  thereby  violates  any  provi¬ 
sions  of  sections  14  and  15  of  this  act, 
shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  not  exceed¬ 
ing  one  hundred  dollars,  or  by  impris¬ 
onment  not  exceeding  six  months,  or 
both,  and  if  any  person  be  convicted 
a  second  time  of  operating  an  automo¬ 
bile  while  under  the  influence  of  in¬ 
toxicating  liquor,  he  shall  be  punished 
by  imprisonment  not  less  than  one 
month  and  not  exceeding  one  year. 
A  conviction  of  a  violation  of  this  sec¬ 
tion  shall  be  reported  forthwith  by  the 
court  or  trial  justice  to  the  secretary, 
who  shall  revoke  immediately  the 
license  of  the  person  so  convicted. 
Whenever  any  person  so  convicted  ap¬ 
peals,  the  said  secretary  shall  suspend 
forthwith  the  license  of  the  person  so 
convicted,  and  shall  order  him  to  de¬ 
liver  his  license  to  said  secretary,  and 
shall  not  reissue  said  license  unless 
said  person  is  acquitted  in  a  court  hav¬ 
ing  jurisdiction  of  the  offense  charged. 
No  new  license  or  certificate  shall  be 
issued  by  said  secretary  to  any  person 
convicted  of  a  violation  of  this  section 


15 


until  after  sixty  days  from  the  date 
of  such  final  conviction. 

Sect.  20.  Any  person  operating  a 
motor  vehicle,  knowing  that  injury  has 
been  caused  to  a  person,  shall  forth¬ 
with  bring  his  motor  vehicle  to  a  stop, 
return  to  the  scene  of  the  accident, 
give  to  any  proper  person  demanding 
the  same  his  name  and  address,  the 
number  of  the  driver’s  license,  the 
registration  number  of  the  motor  ve¬ 
hicle,  and  the  name  and  address  of 
each  occupant  thereof.  Failure  to 
comply  with  the  foregoing  require¬ 
ments  shall  constitute  a  felony,  and 
any  person  guilty  thereof  shall  be 
punished  by  a  fine  of  not  exceeding 
one  thousand  dollars,  or  by  imprison¬ 
ment  in  the  state  prison  for  not  ex¬ 
ceeding  three  years,  or  both. 

Sect.  21.  Any  person  who,  while 
operating  or  in  charge  of  a  motor  ve¬ 
hicle,  shall  refuse  when  requested  by 
a  police  officer  to  give  his  name  and 
address,  or  the  name  and  address  of 
the  owner  of  such  motor  vehicle,  or 


who  shall  give  a  false  name  or  address, 
or  who  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  stop 
when  signaled  to  stop  by  any  police 
officer  who  is  in  uniform,  or  who  dis¬ 
plays  his  badge  conspicuously  on  the 
outside  of  his  outer  coat  or  garment,  or 
who  refuses  on  demand  of  such  officer 
to  produce  his  license  to  operate  such 
vehicle  or  his  certificate  of  registra¬ 
tion,  or  to  permit  such  officer  to  take 
the  license  or  certificate  in  hand  for 
the  purpose  of  examination,  or  who 
refuses  on  demand  of  such  officer  to 
sign  his  name  in  the  presence  of  such 
officer,  or  who  refuses  or  neglects  to 
produce  his  license  when  requested  by 
a  court  or  trial  justice  shall  be  pun¬ 
ished  by  a  fine  of  not  less  than  twenty- 
five  nor  more  than  one  hundred 
dollars. 


17 


FiRE  ALARM,  SCHOOL  AND  STORM 
SIGNALS. 


The  superintendent  has  the  right  to 
strike  one  blow  upon  the  bells  at  any 
time,  to  test  the  circuits;  also  to  ring 
in  one  round  from  any  box,  preceded 
by  a  single  blow,  exactly  five  minutes 
after  the  noon  stroke,  on  Saturdays, 
for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  boxes. 
In  case  of  a  serious  fire  the  engineers 
may  cause  a  second  alarm  to  be 
sounded  from  the  nearest  box.  A  sec¬ 
ond  alarm  is  given  by  striking  ten 
blows,  followed  by  the  box  number. 

SCHOOL  STORM  SIGNALS  for  sus¬ 
pension  of  sessions  on  stormy  days 
are  given  on  the  Mechanic  St.  Mill 
whistles  as  follows:  For  no  morning 
session,  three  blasts  at  8  a.  m.;  for 
no  afternoon  session,  three  blasts  at 
11  a.  m.  When  the  latter  signal  is 
given,  grades  above  the  second  will 
continue  in  session  until  one  o’clock. 


18 


LOCATION  OF  BOXES. 


5  Main, 

6  Main, 

7  St.  James, 

8  Main, 

9  Central  Sq. 

13  Beaver  Mills, 

14  Water, 

114  Keene  Wooden  W  Co. 


142  Willow  St. 

15  Water, 

16  Main, 

17  Main, 

18  Marlboro, 

19  Lower  Marlboro. 
113  Railroad, 

22  Vernon, 

23  Roxbury, 

24  Beaver, 

25  Washington, 

26  Spring, 

27  Washington, 

31  Washington, 

32  Elm, 

33  Washington, 


City  Hospital 
cor.  Emerald 
opp.  Holbrook  Co. 
cor.  Railroad 
City  Hall 
Engine  Room  P.  B. 

cor.  Grove 
P.  B. 

cor.  So.  Lincoln 
cor.  Marlboro 
cor.  Baker 
cor.  Kelleher 

cor.  93d 
at  Fire  Station 
cor.  Beech 
cor.  Dover 
near  Giffin 
cor.  Brook 
cor  Wash.  Ave. 
opp.  Pine 
cor.  High 
cor.  Gilsum 


19 


35  Court, 


cor.  Prospect 
cor.  Pleasant 


37  Mechanic, 


41  Middle, 

42  West, 

43  West, 
46  Court, 


opp.  Faulkner  Mills 


opp  Schoolhouse 


cor.  School 
at  Glue  Shop 
cor.  Ralston 


cor.  School 


47  Court, 

52  Emerald, 

152  B.  &  M.  R,  R.  Shops, 


P.  B. 


53  Winchester,  cor.  Winchester  Ct. 


54  Island, 
57  Pearl, 


at  Fowler’s  Box  Shop 
3d  Pole  So.  of  Track 


65  South  Keene. 

72  West, 

73  Park  Ave., 


cor.  Park  Ave 
cor.  Arch 


2  Still  Alarm. 
12  Military  Call. 


TRANSMITTER  CALLS. 

117  Edgewood- 

124  North  Lincoln  St. 

125  George  St. 

132  Upper  Elm  St. 

147  Upper  Court  St. 

172  Colony  Farm,  West  St. 

173  Avch  St. 


20 


153  Lower  Winchester  St. 

174  Maple  Avenue. 

12  Military  Call. 

2  Still  Alarm. 

122  Brush  Fire  Call. 

Telephone  call. — For  a  fire,  say  to 
operator,  Fire  Department,  Emergency. 

My  Nearest  Box  Number  is . 


